Wireless hotspot billing arrangement for a wide variety of personal communication devices

ABSTRACT

A system for enabling the wireless use and billing for that use of any of a wide variety of different manufacturers personal, ground-position-indicating enabled, wireless electronic rf communication devices in a zone, and a network outside of the zone.

This invention relates to a docking system for handheld electroniccommunication devices such as cellular telephones or the like, for usewith structures or vehicles, and this application is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/931,050, filed Jan. 20, 2011, nowU.S. Pat. No. 8,180,279, issued May 15, 2012, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/218,324, filed Jul. 14, 2008, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,881,664, issued Feb. 1, 2011 (and is a sister patent ofU.S. Pat. No. 7,904,124 issued Mar. 8, 2011), and which '664 patent is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/020,450, filed Dec.22, 2004, issued on Jul. 15, 2008 as U.S. Pat. No. 7,400,858, and patentapplication Ser. No. 11/728,487 filed Mar. 26, 2007 now U.S. Pat. No.7,421,253, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 10/619,770 filed Jul. 15,2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,197,285, which are each a continuationapplications of Ser. No. 09/634,140, filed Aug. 8, 2000, now U.S. Pat.No. 6,885,845, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/604,105, filedFeb. 20, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,471, each of which patents,applications, their respective U.S. Patent Office and U.S. FederalDistrict Court records and their file histories, are all incorporatedherein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

Prior Art

Extraneous radio frequency emission has become a serious concern ofhand-held electronic communication devices such as portable facsimilemachines, ground position indicators, and cellular telephonemanufacturers- and users alike. RF radiation is considered a potentialcarcinogen.

The proliferation of these hand-held devices is evident everywhere. Asingle hand-held device however, should able to travel with its ownerand be easily transferably usable in automobiles, planes, cabs orbuildings (including hospitals) as well as at offices and at desks withno restrictions on their use, and without causing concern with regard tothe radiation therefrom. The hand-held devices should be portable for auser to carry in his pocket, yet be able to use that same cellular unitin such vehicle or building while minimizing such radiational effecttherein.

It is an object of the present invention to permit a user of a portablehand-held electronic communication device such as a cellular telephoneor the like, to conveniently use that same hand-held device/cellularphone in an automobile, plane or building, office/desk, or anywheresignal transmission is needed, and to permit such signal to reach itsintended destination such as a communications network or satellite,without interfering with other electrical equipment and in spite ofinterfering walls of buildings or structure and/or other electricalequipment.

It is a further object of the present invention to minimize anyradiation from such a portable device, such as a cellular telephone orthe like, while such use occurs in an automobile, a building or anelevator, an airplane, a cab, or other public facility in which the userwishes to minimize his own exposure to stray radiation, and also topermit re-transmission of his signal, to avoid the necessity ofconnecting and disconnecting cables, and to permit a wide variety ofcellular telephones such as would be utilized in a rental car wherevarious manufactures' phones would be used, and to permit control ofsuch re-transmission of signals where desired, so as to allowuser/customer billing and monitoring thereof.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a docking system adaptable to anautomobile, plane, building or desk for receipt of an electroniccommunication device such as a cellular telephone, portable computer,facsimile machine, pager or the like, to permit a user safe,environmentally safe, non-touching, radiationally communicative matingof the antenna of that device to a further transmission line through ajuxtaposed pick-up probe, the signal coming in or going out through acommunications network or further remote antenna.

The docking system may comprise a “zone” or “focal area” as a generallyrectilinear area/volume on/in a desk or work surface on/in which theelectronic communication device may be placed, such a surface or spacebeing possible on a desk, or in a plane. That focal area may also, in afurther embodiment, be comprised of one or more rooms in a building,such focal area having a pick-up probe thereat, in conjunction with ashield placed on/in the desk, room, vehicle or building to prevent theradiation from that communication device from traveling in any undesireddirections within the desk, room, vehicle or building.

The focal area may be defined by a metal walled structure within or onwhich a broadband probe is arranged. The metal walled structure acts asa shield to minimize radiation from the communication device frompassing therethrough. In a first embodiment, the shield may be comprisedof a partial housing disposed within the upper work surface of a desk.The probe would be elongatively disposed within the partial housing andbe in electrical communication with a transmission line such as coaxcable, waveguide, or the like. The partial housing may have a planardielectric layer thereover, which would also be co-planar with thesurface of the desk. The communication device would be placed within thepickup zone of the focal area, and would be able to transmit and receivesignals through the dielectric layer. The partial housing would act asthe shield in the desk, to minimize radiation by the worker at the desk.In a further embodiment, the housing may be comprised of a thin,generally planar mat of conductive material, which mat may be flexibleand distortable, for conformance to a particular work surface and forease of storage capabilities. The mat has an upper layer of dielectricmaterial (for example, plastic, foam or the like). A thin, flat,conformable coupling probe may be embedded into or printed onto theupper surface of the dielectric material. The mat may be utilized as aportable focal area for placement of a communication device thereon, orwrapped up in an enveloping manner therein.

A yet further embodiment of the present invention includes a controlunit in the transmission line from the pickup probe to the furtherremote antenna. The control unit may comprise a filter or switchconnected to a computer. The computer may accumulate billinginformation, control system functions, or act as a regulator formultiple users of the antenna coupling system.

The invention thus comprises a docking system for connecting a portablecommunication device to a further signal transmission line, the portablecommunication device having an externally radiative antenna, the systemcomprising a shield for restricting at least a portion of any radiationfrom the externally radiative antenna of said portable communicationdevice, and a coupling probe mounted adjacent to the shield forradiatively coupling between the externally radiative antenna of theportable communication device and the further signal transmission linevia radio frequency energy therebetween. The shield may be comprised ofan electrically conductive material, or an attenuative material capableof blocking at least part of the radiofrequency radiation energy comingfrom the communication device(s) connected thereto. The shield defines afocal area for receipt and transmission of a radio frequency signal,when a communication device is placed within the focal area. The focalarea or zone, may be selected from the group of structures consisting ofa desk, a room in a building, or a tray or the like in a vehicle. Thefurther signal transmission line may be connected to a furthercommunication network and/or a further antenna connected to thetransmission line, yet positioned at a location remote from the shield.The transmission line may have a control unit therein, the control unitbeing arranged to permit regulation of signals being transmitted throughthe transmission line. The control unit may comprise a computer arrangedto monitor time or use of the docking system. The shield and the probemay be spaced apart by a dielectric material. The shield, the probe andthe dielectric material may be flexible. The communication device mayinclude at least two cellular telephones (or other portablecommunication devices) simultaneously connected to the remote antenna.

The invention also includes a method of coupling a portablecommunication device having an externally radiative antenna, to a signaltransmission line having a further remote antenna thereon, for thepurpose of effecting radio signal transmission therebetween, the methodcomprising the steps of arranging a radiation shield in juxtapositionwith at least a portion of said radiative antenna of the portablecommunication device, mounting a coupling probe adjacent the shield andin communication with the signal transmission line, and placing theexternally radiative antenna of the portable communication device closeto the probe and the shield so as to permit radiative communicationbetween the externally radiative antenna and the signal transmissionline via the coupling probe. The method may include arranging the shieldin or on a generally planar work surface so as to restrict thepropagation of at least a portion of the radiation emanating from thecommunication device primarily only to the vicinity of the probe. Themethod may include attaching a control unit to the transmission line topermit regulation of electric signals therethrough, and adding a furthercommunication device in juxtaposition with a further probe, the furtherprobe also being in electronic communication with that control unit, soas to permit multiple simultaneous use of the transmission line andcommunication system and/or remote antenna therewith. The method ofcoupling the portable communication device to the signal transmissionline, may also include the step of billing any users of thecommunication and/or remote antenna by monitoring and tabulating anysignals received by and sent through the control unit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shielded antennadocking arrangement, which itself may be portable, for use with aportable communication device such as a cellular telephone, facsimilemachine or ground position indicator or the like, such use occurring ina vehicle such as a plane, an automobile or a cab or in a public orprivate building, office desk or elevator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent when viewed in conjunction with the following drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 a is a perspective view of a focal area docking arrangement, asmay be utilized with a desk;

FIG. 1 b is a partial view taken along the lines A-A of FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 2 a is a perspective view of a portable focal area docking systemfor portable communication devices;

FIG. 2 b is a view taken along the lines B-B of FIG. 2 a;

FIG. 3 a is a block diagram of a docking system having a sensor unitarranged therewith;

FIG. 3 b is a block diagram of a further embodiment of that shown inFIG. 3 a; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a docking system, as it may beutilized in a vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to FIG. 1 a,there is shown a portable communication device docking arrangement 10,to permit a portable communication device such as a hand-held cellulartelephone 12 to be utilized thereon, such as on a desk 14 or adjacent toit, and as a personal communicator (i.e. cellular telephone, facsimilemachine, pager or the like) which may also be carried on an individual.

Such a docking system 10 of the present invention may also be adaptableto an automobile, plane, or building for providing radiationallyrestrictive communication between a portable electronic communicationdevice 12 such as a cellular telephone, portable computer, facsimilemachine, pager, or the like, while allowing communicative mating of theradiative antenna of that device to a further transmission line andcommunication system and/or a more remote antenna, as recited and shownin our aforementioned patent applications, incorporated herein byreference in their entirety.

The docking system 10 may comprise a “zone” or “focal area” 16 as arectilinear area/volume on/in a desk 14 or work surface on/in which theelectronic communication device 12 may be placed, such a surface orspace being in a structure such as an airplane. That focal area 16 has apick-up coupling probe 22 thereat, as shown for example in FIG. 1 b, inconjunction with a shield 24 placed on/in the desk 14, (or room, vehicleor building, as shown in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b), to prevent the radiation(electromagnetic/microwave) emanating from that communication device 12from traveling in any undesired directions within the desk, room,vehicle or building.

The focal area 16 may be defined by a metal walled housing structure 30within which a broadband probe 22 is arranged, as shown in FIG. 1 b. Themetal walled structure 30 acts as a shield to minimize undesiredradiation from the communication device 12 from passing therethrough. Ina first embodiment, the shield may be comprised of a partial housing 34disposed within the upper work surface 36 of a desk 14, as may be seenin FIG. 1 b. The pick-up probe 22 would be elongatively disposed withinthe partial housing structure 30 and be in electrical communication witha transmission line 32 such as coaxial cable, waveguide, or the like.The transmission line 32 would be in electrical communication with anelectric communications network or distribution system 38, and/or to afurther remote antenna 40, such as may be seen in FIGS. 1 b, 3 a and 3b. The partial housing 30 may have a planar dielectric layer 42thereover, which would also be co-planar with the surface of the desk14. The communication device 12 would be placed within the pickup zoneof the focal area 16, and would be able to transmit and receive signalsthrough the dielectric layer 42. The partial housing 30 would act as theshield in the desk, to minimize radiation directed towards the worker(s)at the desk.

In a further embodiment as shown in FIG. 2 a, the shield or housing maybe comprised of a thin, generally planar mat 50 of conductive material,which mat 50 may be flexible and distortable, for conformance to anysurface (human or otherwise), and may be folded or rolled up to minimizestorage requirements. The mat 50 has an upper layer 52 made of adielectric material (plastic, foam or the like). A thin, flat,conformable coupling probe 54 is embedded into or printed onto the uppersurface of the layer of dielectric material 52. The mat 50 may beutilized as a portable focal area for placement of a communicationdevice thereon, or wrapped-up in an enveloping manner therein. The probe54 is connected to a transmission line 56, in electrical contact with anetwork or remote antenna, not shown in this figure.

A yet further embodiment of the present invention includes a controlunit 60, connected into the transmission line 62 from the pickup probe64 to the further remote antenna 66 shown in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b. Thecontrol unit 60 may comprise a filter, switch, amplifier, attenuator,combiner, splitter, or other type of frequency converter, connected to acomputer 68. The computer 68 may be arranged to accumulate customer orbilling information by functioning with a processor to print outuse-data 69, to maintain frequency control functions, or to act as aregulator for multiple users of the antenna coupling system 10. Theremay be a plurality of pickup coupling probes 64 each connected to thecontrol unit 60 and the transmission line 62, one probe 64 in each of aplurality of shielded rooms 65, each wall or work area (desk) having ashield, the rooms 65 shown in a building 67, in FIG. 3 b.

The view shown in FIG. 4, displays a portable communication device suchas a facsimile machine or computer 70 supported on a tray 72 articulablymounted on the back of an airplane seat 74. The tray 72 has a “focalarea” 75 therewithin, as represented by the dashed lines 76. The focalarea 75 includes a conductive (preferably metallic) shield arrangedbeneath and partially surrounding a broadband probe 77. The probe 77transmits electrical signals radiated to and from a radiative antenna onor in the base of the portable communication device 70. A transmissionline 78 which may be comprised of coaxial cable, waveguide, or opticalfibers, extends from the probe within the focal area, to a furtherremote antenna 80 mounted outside of the structure, which here, isidentified as an airplane.

A control unit 82, such as attenuators, heterodyne converters,amplifiers, bandpass filters, switches, or the like, may be arranged incommunication with the transmission line 78 to monitor or control thetime in the vehicle in which the communication device may be utilized,for example, to limit certain times when such devices may be utilized inan airplane, or to modulate the signal being transmitted or received bythe remote antenna, and/or to monitor usage of the docking system forsubsequent billing of those users.

Thus what has been shown is a unique system for minimizing thedetrimental effects of radiation from common portable communicationdevices to their users, while improving the transmission capabilitiesand customer usage of such devices, overcoming the barriers such asbuildings and vehicles in which such devices might otherwise beutilized, that would interfere with the flow of signals transmitted.

1. A system for enabling wireless billable communication between a widevariety of different manufacturers various ground-position-indicatingpersonal communication devices within a zone and a further communicationnetwork, wherein each of the communication devices in the wide varietyof communication devices has an externally radiative rf antenna, thesystem comprising: at least one first rf antenna arranged within thezone arranged to communicate wirelessly with a radiative rf antenna ofany different manufacturers various wireless personal communicationdevices being communicatively utilized within the zone; at least onesignal transmission line arranged to communicate with a communicationdevice located outside of the zone; awide-variety-of-different-manufacturerspersonal-communication-devices-responsive monitoring and controlcomputer arranged in a communications link between the at least onefirst rf antenna within the zone and the at least one signaltransmission line arranged to communicate outside of the zone, thewide-variety-of-different-manufacturerspersonal-communication-devices-responsive monitoring and controlcomputer being arranged to simultaneously monitor and control the useand enable billing of any of a wide variety of any differentmanufacturers various wireless ground-position-indicating personalcommunication devices utilized between the zone and an electroniccommunication device located outside of the zone.
 2. The system asrecited in claim 1, where the monitoring and control computer isarranged to control the amount of time any various wireless personalcommunication devices may be utilized to communicate from within thezone, with any other communication devices located outside of the zone.3. The system as recited in claim 1, where the monitoring and controlcomputer operates to monitor costs of utilizing any various anddifferent wireless personal communication device within the zone.
 4. Thesystem as recited in claim 1, where the at least one outsidetransmission line comprises an rf transmissive antenna which is arrangedto communicate wirelessly with a communication device located outside ofthe zone.
 5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the communicationdevice located outside of the zone comprises a satellite.
 6. The systemas recited in claim 1, wherein the wide variety of communication devicesare selected from the group consisting of: a cellular telephone, acomputer, a facsimile machine and a ground position indicating device.7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the wide variety ofcommunication devices are portable.
 8. The system as recited in claim 1,wherein the wide variety of communication devices are pocket carryable.9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the system is a mobilesystem.
 10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the zone isselected from the group consisting of: a vehicle, a building, a workspace, a rectilinear area, a volume of space and a signal pickup space.11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the monitoring and controlcomputer operates to filter electronic signals sent to and or sent fromany various and different wireless personal communication deviceutilized within the zone.
 12. A method for enabling the wireless use andbilling for that use of any of a wide variety of different manufacturerspersonal, ground-position-indicating enabled, wireless electronic rfcommunication devices in a zone, comprising: arranging a first rfantenna within the zone for communicating with any of a wide variety ofany different manufacturers various personal wireless rf communicationdevices utilized wirelessly within the zone; connecting a transmissionline in communication with the first rf antenna in the zone, thetransmission line arranged to communicate with other electroniccommunication devices located outside of the zone; placing a controlunit in a link between the first rf antenna arranged in the zone and thetransmission line arranged to communicate with other electronic devicesoutside of the zone, the control unit being arranged to control, affectamplification of, and transmit electronic signals including billinginformation relative to any wireless rf use, and any electronic rfcommunication signals sent to and from any of the wide variety ofdifferent manufacturers various personal wireless rf communicationdevices utilized within the zone.
 13. The method as recited in claim 12,including: connecting the transmission line to a further antenna. 14.The method as recited in claim 12, including: establishing a wirelesscommunication between the transmission line and a satellite.
 15. Themethod as recited in claim 12, including: enabling the control unit tobe responsive to ground position indication input from any of a widevariety of different manufacturers various personal, wireless rfcommunication devices utilized within the zone.
 16. The method asrecited in claim 12, including: shielding at least a portion of the zoneto electronic rf signals.
 17. The method as recited in claim 12,including: filtering by the control unit, of at least some electronicsignals sent to and/or from the first rf antenna within the zone and thetransmission line communicating with electronic devices outside of thezone.
 18. The method as recited in claim 12, including: billing for anybillable use of any of a wide variety of different manufacturers variouspersonal wireless rf communication devices utilized within the zone. 19.A system for enabling wireless communication between a wide variety ofdifferent manufacturers various ground-position-indicating enabledpersonal communication devices within a zone and a further communicationnetwork, wherein each of the communication devices in the wide varietyof communication devices has an externally radiative rf antenna, thesystem comprising: at least one first rf antenna arranged within thezone arranged to communicate wirelessly with an rf antenna of anydifferent manufacturers various wireless ground-position-indicatingenabled personal communication devices being communicatively utilizedwithin the zone; at least one signal transmission line arranged tocommunicate with a communication device located outside of the zone; awide-variety-of-different-manufacturers personal-communication-devicesenabled monitoring-and-control computer arranged in a communicationslink between the at least one first rf antenna within the zone and theat least one signal transmission line arranged to communicate outside ofthe zone, the wide-variety-of-different-manufacturerspersonal-communication-devices enabled monitoring and control computerbeing arranged to simultaneously monitor the use of any of a widevariety of any different manufacturers various wirelessground-position-indicating enabled personal communication devicesutilized within the zone and an electronic communication device locatedoutside of the zone.
 20. The system as recited in claim 19, where thetransmission line is in communication through a satellite with othercommunication devices located outside of the zone.